Eddie Howe, Anthony Gordon and Harvey Barnes praise ‘top guy’ Nick Pope after stunning assist in Newcastle's 3-0 win over Benfica - ‘We all love him’
Published 21/10/2025 at 23:55 GMT+1
Newcastle put in a superb performance to overcome Jose Mourinho's Benfica 3-0 in the UEFA Champions League, again showing just how hard it is to go to St James' Park. Anthony Gordon put in a sublime performance to collect the Player of the Match award and opened the scoring, before Harvey Barnes scored a second-half brace. All the talk was about one man afterwards though: Nick Pope.
Pope mobbed after his 'special throw' assists Barnes goal
Video credit: TNT Sports
Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope earned the plaudits after helping his side to an impressive 3-0 win over Benfica in the UEFA Champions League.
Anthony Gordon once again lit up St James’ Park, scoring the opening goal in the first half and collecting the Player of the Match award.
Harvey Barnes then entered the fray in the second half and scored two fantastic goals to put the game beyond doubt.
It was the first of Barnes’ brace that will be on the minds of Newcastle fans on their way home, with the winger latching onto a simply sublime throw from Pope to break away and score from a Benfica corner.
It was without a doubt the moment of the match, not least because it separated Newcastle from their opponents and ensured a potentially nervy ending was instead relaxing for Eddie Howe and the Geordie faithful.
But also due to the incredible power, execution and vision of Pope, who was again faultless in goal.
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Highlights: Gordon and Barnes condemn Mourinho's Benfica to defeat
Video credit: TNT Sports
Barnes insisted that although it looked like they had discussed it before, the pair were simply on the same wavelength.
He said: "No [I had not discussed the throw with Nick Pope], the way it just sort of opened up, and you just take off don’t you.
"He has obviously played a great ball, you get a little bit of luck with the defender missing it but then in those positions, it is just natural instinct, you go in there and do what you do and finish it – it was a great assist by Popey."
Pope has been a formidable shot stopper for some time in the Premier League now. His shot stopping has never been doubted, but in the modern day, distribution is just as important for goalkeepers, and a throw like that will have pleased Howe immensely.
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Howe admitted they had been working on the keeper's distribution, but insisted the credit is all with Pope for the assist.
"I am not sure I can take too much credit for that," the Newcastle manager said.
"We are working on certain things with Nick on his distribution - his throwing is a big strength of his actually and we have been working on that.
"I wouldn’t necessarily say that was what we have worked on, but he is a very, very good goalkeeper, he showed that today from corners and the little bits that he had to do. I thought he did really well and of course distribution is so important in the modern game."
Pope this season now has seven clean sheets in 11 matches across the Premier League and Champions League, conceding only to Barcelona, Arsenal, Brighton and Liverpool.
It was perhaps no surprise then that after Barnes had expertly slotted the first of his two goals, the majority of the team jumped on Pope.
"[It was] amazing, we all love him," said Gordon, who became the first Newcastle player to score in three consecutive Champions League matches.
"He is one of the most popular players in the dressing room, he is a top guy, top keeper.
"He has kept us in so many games this season so far and even some of the saves he made in the first half were incredible, so he deserves it."
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